Liquid feeding nipple construction



March 23, 1954 B ALSTADT ET 2,672,870

LIQUID FEEDING NIPPLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 17, 1952 Allll I I I I I l I IIIIIIIIHIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH INVENTORS fim/Amv Ammo; J BY flnmp J/JP/W Patented Mar. 23, 1954 FAT am LIQUID *FEEDING NIPPLE CONSTRUCTION Benjamin Alst-adt and Harold Sappey,

Newlork, N. I.

Appliation ianualy 1-7; 1952} Serial Nol 2665924 5 lfilaimsih (Cl. 128-4252):

a11y improve nipple' constvtictions for' use on infants' mirsingbotties or animal 'liqiiid feedin'gfi means and methodii f-the 'ch'aracter 'described, which constructionsshali' 'comprise' fw and simpleparts 1 forming rugged-5 structures capable of 1 withstanding rough usage, which shall be cheap to manufacture, "whicif'sliaii hefpraictiaiiy mm collapsible use: which 'shall beeasy 'to kee sanitary and ygienic conditinf wliih sliaii'havestru'ctiony combination ofelnients and' airrange from' t'he interioi ofteat pbi tion as hereinaitezwdescribedw Saizi1..=;nipp1 2 may Figsf-B and?" 6 -arez crosss'ectional viewsntaken: I l on 'lines* Ee -5" and? 1 66- in :Figs.;:4;- respectivelw; showing; the r structural formation. through; the neck-aan'd :bottom "portions 'of th'emippl'eg'. respec tively; taken transversely: the length ofithrfi spaced apartrair-r"passageways; the-:wailsibfi thew: latte'raforming' "internal ribs for the :nippieistruc Y ture; 1

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary crosssectional:viewpfi neckand 'iteat' portions "of: a: modifiedmippi'e con;

struction embodying the' invention": showingr: air passageways in -'mergedx'formation' 'with? the" through" opening ,fo'rmingathevpathmfcthe'rnippie s liquid flow.

Figz 'zsr is a='sectiona'1 'viwtaken onilin'e 82 8: inn-1 Fig.2 '7 showingcthe a-ixzpassageways. in sections and ithe through'iopeningzonrthe inside ."of sth'e nip" p1e'..-

Figs-'9' is a sectional" elevational view of'another r modified nipple "construction nhaving aminteg-rai: 1

bottle coupling fitting portion embodying thetin: venti'on formedwvith a centrally disposedraiifrtube or conduit having-inlets in th'e b'reastz portion thereof and midway'openin'gs ortby-pas'ses'xi wail thereofwcomrnuni'cating,with thewpath'rofiztheo r 1iquid flow surroundingsaid tube an-d" Fig: 10*:is "a, sectionaiivi'ew"like' Figi4ashowiiigz another" modification of*nipp1e constructionenrbodyingi' theiin'vention haVing-an integ'raI' b'ottle coupling fitting: portion and" provided: with :ain'r vents forthe *bottle"; theziatter-"notfshowm 1 Referring 'ii'rwdetaii'to the drawing; 207"denots an improved liquid feedin'g mea'ns-includingaaa coup-ling fitting-j F for "screw mounting a nipple 2 I formed of: a-'=flexib'le material; such" asigum or synthetic; rubb'en': o1" otherxsuitabie: substanoes having i elastidprop'erties constr uctedit'o embodir the-invention adaptedstooemounted on"aa.thread ed openxend of fa nursing ibottlet-of anysuitakile conventional typednotshown) in the weil'nnd'fi stood manner."

NippIe 'ZI as'seenwirrFigsI 1 to 'fi-may comprisea a teat ;portionor"free end formin'gi'a hollow head portion 22"extnding'from a tubular orrr sieeve 5 neckxza the latter being' interposedfbetween s'aid iteat portion 2 2 -a'nd 'a =ho1lowb'ase-botton1 portion or breast 2413' Saidateat portion 22ineck' s23 and breast" ZA may, iffdesired as'hereishowni' be inte graily formedi-imthe construction-"of nipple 2*] may be made as at substantially hollowfhem-i spherical shap'ed structure? having one or mo through-openings 22a to permit flowin'g liqiii zi theretnrough terminate the bottom or breast portion 24 thereof in a radially extending flange 24a provided to extend as a wall of an annular recess or groove 241), said flange 24a and groove 24b serving clamp attachment means on the mouth of a feeding bottle (not shown) through coupling fitting F in the well understood manner, and as is clear from Figs. 1 to 4.

As seen in Figs. 2 and 4 said nipple 2| may also be provided with uniformly spaced apart elongated continuous air-passageways or conduits which may be integrally formed with the interior wall structure thereof to extend substantially the length of teat portion 22, neck 23 and breast 24.

Said passageways 25 may each terminate in an inlet end 25a, as for example, in a wall of said annular groove 24b, above said flange 24a, that is, just above a plane XX, as is clear from Figs. 3 and 4, to align with clearance cut outs or opening 0, provided in coupling fitting F and spaced to conform with the position of inlet ends 25a, so that the latter, have practically free communication with the exterior atmosphere. Said nipple passageways 25 each may also be provided with an outlet end 250 terminating at the teat portion 22, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 at a spaced distance from said test portion through-openings 22a.

Through-openings 22a serve to permit the flow of liquid contents of the feeding means through nipple 2|, and where said feeding means is used for infants, from a feeding bottle into the childs mouth, said teat portion 22 then being in sucking position in the well understood manner. Passageways 25 then provide direct communication of the outlets 25c thereof within the childs mouth with the surrounding air independent of the contents of such nursing bottle and liquid flow therefrom except as will hereinafter be described.

Coupling fitting F besides being provided with clearance cutouts O in an integrally formed nipple retaining collar portion C, has a rim portion thereof removably secured to occupy said annular groove 241) as shown in the assembly in Figs. 1 to 3. Said coupling fitting F may also be provided with an integrally formed flanged screwed portion S to clamp rim bottom of said nipple flange 2411 on the conventional rim bead of a nursing bottle when mounting on the latter liquid feeding means 20 through nipple 2| of which the path of liquid flows.

Liquid feeding means 2|! so far described may be'like nipple constructions covered in our copending application Ser. No. 147,2 i2 now granted as Patent No. 2,582,950 on January 22, 1952.

sageways 25 but also liquid from the path of now through nipple 2| will be partly diverted into outlet ends of passageways 25 to mix with the passing air flow.

After constructing nipple 2| as described above with at least one passageway 25 provided'with a by-pass or by-passes 25e as shown in Fig. 4, a practical application of the invention may be carried out. Nipple 2| is first simply mounted by suitable means such as coupling fitting F, on a feeding bottle containing a milk formula, water or any other feeding liquid. Then on inserting said nipple 2| into an infants mouth whereby teat portion 22 having a through opening or several small openings 22a and said passageway outlets 25c positioned within the mouth cavity, the infants lips will close about nipple neck 23 and against breast 24 with passageway inlets 25a communicating with the free atmosphere.

When sucking by the infant commences, the liquid will flow from the bottle in an even stream through each of said nipple openings 22a simultaneously with atmospheric air flowing through passageways 25 into the mouth cavity. lhis flow of air between the atmosphere and mouth cavity is substantially free and unimpeded so that after the completion of each suck there is suflicient air supplied in the mouth cavity tending to compensate for the usual partial vacuum created within the bottle Without requiring release of the flow 7 connection between the nipple and the lips.

The flow of air through each air-passageway 25 with each by-pass 25c gives an effect similar to an aspirator and produces an aeration of the liquid, passing from outlet 250 into the mouth as well as liquid drawn directly through each nipple opening 22a from the bottle, the portion of passageway 25 between by-pass 25c and outlet 25c serving as a mixing chamber for the bypassing flow of liquid and air intake into the mouth.

When suflicient liquid flows into the throat to initiate a swallowing reflex, the liquid will pass down the aesophagus and any excess of air in the mouth cavity will be taken care of through the respiratory system. The aerated liquid portion drawn into the mouth has been found to have a more desirable and pleasing taste than liquid milk products that have not been aerated, as for example, liquid milk products are especially made more palatable by said aspirated aeration.

In practising the invention with nipple 2| in maintaining the above described communication of air between the free atmosphere and the infants mouth during suckling, the infant will eagerly take liquid food from a bottle contentedly and in relaxed mood so as to minimize often present nervous tension to which gastric disturbances and distress are attributed.

A modified form of the invention is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. In this latter construction teat end or head portion 32 and tubular or sleeve neck 33 have rib wall 3511 through which air passageways or conduits 35 extend in a, manner similar to air passageways 25 in nipple 2| above described. However, instead of providing by-passes 256, as in nipple 2|, outlets 35c of the passageways 35 merged directly into through opening 32a, that is, air is mixed with the entire flow of feeding liquid to aerate same, the junction of each outlet 350 with through opening 32a serving as a mix:

ing chamber 35c. Otherwise improved nipple construction embodying the invention may be made as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and function in the same manner as described above for nipple 2|.

A further modification is shown in Fig. 9, in which feeding means construction 40, is seen to comprise nipple 4|, having teat 42, the latter being provided with suitable through openings 42a,

gitudinally in said wall structure and having an outlet end in the nipple exterior region of said perforated sucking head, said air conduit having an inlet end communicating the conduit with the exterior of the nipple when said sucking head is in a childs mouth, and by-passing aspirator means incorporated in a midportion of a wall of said conduit at a spaced distance from said inlet end along the path of said passing liquid flow for diverting at least a part thereof for aerating said diverted liquid flow.

6. A nursing nipple of the character described comprising a perforated hollow teat portion; a neck extending from said teat portion; said neck being interposed between the teat portion and a flexible walled hollow dome shaped breast; spaced apart air-passageways extending longitudinally of the nipple and through wall portions of said breast, neck and teat portions; said airpassageways each having an inlet on said breast and outlet on said teat portion communicating with the exterior of the nipple; and by-passing aspirator means incorporated in a wall portion of each of said air-passageways between said inlet and outlet thereof for communicating the conduit with said teat portion hollow.

7. An infants nursing nipple having a wall structure comprising a perforated hollow head portion wherethrough a liquid flow passes, a tubular neck extending from said head portion interposed between the latter and a breast portion, an elongated air conduit supported by said wall structure partitioned from said liquid flow communicating a region of said head within the infants mouth with the external atmosphere out side the infants mouth when said nipple is in suckling position, said air conduit having an inlet end on the breast beyond the infants lip sucking position and an outlet end in the region of said nipple perforated head, and by-passing means integrally formed in said wall structure between said inlet and outlet end communicating said conduit with passing liquid flow through the nipple hollow head portion.

8. The nursing nipple defined in claim 6 in which an inner side of said wall structure includes bracing ribs through which said air-passageways extend, with said by-passing aspirator means integrally formed therewith.

9. The infants nursing nipple defined in claim 7 in which said elongated air conduit has a midportion thereof detached from said wall structure and disposed in the stream of said liquid flow, said by-passing means being integrally formed with said conduit midportion.

10. An infants nursing nipple of the character described comprising a tubular wall structure terminated by a perforated head for passing a liquid flow from a bottle therethrough, an elongated air conduit extending within the nipple having both an inlet and outlet communicating with the exterior of the nipple, said conduit outlet being located in the region of the perforated head within the infants mouth when in suckling position, said conduit inlet being located exteriorly beyond the infants lip sucking position, said conduit having a midportion thereof detached from said wall structure and disposed in the stream of said liquid flow, and by-passing aspirator means incorporated in the detached midportion between said outlet and inlet for diverting at least a part of said passing liquid flow into said midportion for aerating thereof.

11. A nursing nipple of the character described comprising a perforated hollow teat portion, a tubular neck extending from said teat portion, said neck being interposed between the teat portion and a flexible walled hollow dome shaped breast, an elongated air conduit having an inlet end on said breast, said conduit extending through said tubular neck and terminating in an outlet end on said teat portion, and by-passing aspirator means incorporated as an integral part of said air conduit between said inlet and outlet.

12. A nursing nipple as defined in claim 11 which includes bottle venting means incorporated in said breast.

13. In an infants feeding nipple having a perforated hollow teat portion; an intermediate tubular neck and a dome shaped breast portion; the latter terminating in means for mounting the nipple on the mouth of a feeding bottle for passing liquid flow therefrom into the infants mouth through said nipple when in suckling position; an air conduit communicating an inlet end thereof positioned on the nipple to lie exteriorly of the mouth when in said suckling position with an outlet end thereof positioned in the region of said teat portion within the mouth, said air conduit being partitionedoif from said liquid flow through the nipple; and aspirator means carried by said air conduit having a by-pass communicating the conduit with said passing liquid flow for diverting at least a portion of said liquid fiow into the conduit between said inlet end and outlet end for aeration.

14. A nursing nipple of the character described comprising a perforated hollow teat portion, a tubular neck extending from said teat portion, said neck being interposed between the teat portion and a flexible walled hollow dome shaped breast, an elongated air conduit having an inlet end on said breast, said conduit extending through said tubular neck and terminating in an outlet end on said teat portion, and aspirator means incorporated as an integral part of said perforated hollow teat portion and the conduit outlet.

BENJAMIN ALSTADT. HAROLD SAPPEY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

